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Stephen A. Smith Decisively Defeats Kenny Smith in Free-Throw Contest Before NBA Cup

The NBA Cup semifinals got off to an interesting start on TNT.

Tom Dierberger

ESPN

There's a new best shooter in town on the set of TNT's Inside the NBA show. For at least one day, that is.

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith joined the program in Las Vegas ahead of NBA Cup semifinal action Saturday, and he tipped off the show by facing analyst Kenny Smith in a free-throw shooting contest.

Kenny "the Jet" Smith, who played 10 seasons in the NBA and won back-to-back championships with the Houston Rockets, accepted Stephen A's free-throw challenge earlier this week and said he would shoot left-handed to make it fair.

Well, it wasn't quite fair. Stephen A. Smith emerged victorious, nailing three of his five free-throw attempts. Kenny Smith, meanwhile, misfired on his first four left-handed attempts before knocking down his fifth.

"Now I'm warm," Kenny Smith quipped after he hit his first free-throw attempt.

The Inside the NBA crew might be seeing more of Stephen A. Smith next year, as ESPN will air the show beginning with the 2025-26 season. It appears Kenny Smith is going to have to get a few more left-handed shots up before that deal comes to fruition.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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